Jerry Jones: Josh Brent has a roster spot waiting if reinstated

Former Cowboys defensive tackle Josh Brent is set to apply for reinstatement this week following a 180-day prison sentence for the death of teammate Jerry Brown in a car accident in December 2012.

If he’s cleared to return to his football career, Jerry Jones says he has a roster spot waiting for him in Dallas.

According to Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Jones said that Brent is scheduled to meet with commissioner Roger Goodell on Thursday. If Brent is cleared by Goodell to resume his career, the Cowboys will free up a roster spot to bring him back to Dallas.

“We will, yes we will,” Jones said. “In other words, we wouldn’t have it today, but we will make a roster spot.”

Brent was convicted on a charge of intoxication manslaughter after flipping his vehicle while drunk. The accident caused the death of Brown, a former Cowboys linebacker.

Brent was released from prison in June and finished his sentence in a substance abuse treatment center. Before applying for reinstatement, Brent first sought the approval of Brown’s family for permission to pursue his career once again.

Brent appeared in 12 games, making five starts, for the Cowboys in 2012 before the accident. He had posted 22 tackles, 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble on the season.

If Brent was drink driving and caused the accident and death of one of Jones family would he still play for Dallas? Of course not. Dallas are thin on the d-line so Jones doesn’t care about what’s wrong or right

Jerry supporting him is commendable, he’ll need it with the survivor guilt. And before people jump on the idiocy wagon as they usually do, Brent was drunk but Brown was sober and both agreed to get in the car.

Nobody murdered anybody. Just bad decision making by two friends that ended in the worse case scenario.

Whhaaaat?
180 sentence? Wasn’t aware of sentence. Now that I am, this court system has let victims family down IMO. Hope he carries the guilt and doesn’t drink again or at least havr a damn driver. If I had that money id have a driver so I can get wasted and not worry about anything. Good thing I dont drink. Always thought some people act like fools and are not mentally made to handle alcohol.
Now, if he would have smoked a pound of the most potent marijuana on earth. He’d be alive. Worst case scenerio, hunger. That’s all. But then again, some minds aren’t able to handle the weakest herb either. Point is, alcohol kills. Can’t argue with that.

Yet Josh Gordon is still potentially facing down a 1-year suspension for marijuana. Smh. I understand there are rules in place and there are penalties in place per the CBA, but no matter how many times I read about it or think about it, I don’t think I’ll ever understand Brent or Stallworth serving the same sentence as Gordon.

Mini rant over. At least Brent sought out Brown’s family seeking permission to play again. But there are plenty of other mediocre defensive linemen that are on Brent’s skill level that would fit in just as well in the Cowboys admittedly woeful d-line. There’s no reason to take back a backup caliber player with all the negative publicity that will come with it. And The Cowboys already get plenty of that.

You can’t deny a man his livelihood but you get the feeling Jerry Jones would have been good with Brent not doing a day behind bars. What about his teammates? Do they want him around? Maybe he can fist bump Aldon Smith when he passes him in the hall in NY. If Brent was a truck driver would he do 180 days for vehicular manslaughter?

Oh, and this is a great opportunity to speak about forgiveness, and 2nd chances, a la Josh Brent and Donte Stallworth, and why they are different than Michael Vick, who should NOT have been given a 2nd chance…

People get so caught-up, comparing Stallworth and Brent’s actions, which resulted in the deaths of human beings, and how that is worse than what Vick did, because he only killed dogs.

The key difference, is motive and intent.

Why are Brent and Stallworth worthy of redemption, but Vick isn’t?

Stallworth and Brent didn’t intend to kill. Their motive was not to kill.

Vick, on the other hand, intended to torture and kill other living beings… Which is so much more demented and disgusting than accidentally taking the life of your own friend.

Accidents can be forgiven. Cold-blooded torture, starvation, electrocutions, drownings and hangings of man’s best friend is completely unforgivable and unredeemable.

I can not relate to his situation, he killed a good friend of his and asked this man’s family for permission to continue his career. Not many of us are able to say we never made a mistake. His sentence should have been longer but since it wasn’t, let him play, he will be judged by the general public for the rest of his career.

I really admire and respect Jerry for trying to help someone through hard times. Young adults need mentors and people to help guide them, especially when they have endured hardship (self inflicted or not). RESPECT without judgement is true character.

I mean, I get that your defense is going to be historically god-awful, but is this guy going to make such a big difference that it’s worth all the negative PR? I wouldn’t think so, but only Jerry Jones knows what’s happening in the mind of Jerry Jones.

Sucks for whoever would be forced out to make room for him. What does it say about ownership to “make room” for a guy like that, despite his punishment, over someone out of college without a smidgen of controversy to their name? Did this Brent even play with the 1s?

Evidently a repeat DWI offender whose negligence caused the death of another is more acceptable than someone who used cannabis which didn’t harm anyone. This makes sense for Jerry, though, because his bourbon pickled brain sees himself in Josh Brent and wants salvation via proxy. Nice family values you got there, Jerry. You can forgive someone but you don’t have to enable them.

Cue all the commenters who will slam the Cowboys for this without knowing the situation.

Terrible what happened with Brent, and irresponsible. But the guy also walked through the cemetery holding the hand of the mother of his friend who died in the crash. He was completely remorseful. The victims own family not only forgave but embraced him. He issued tearful, clearly nothing short of heartfelt apologies.

He has to live the rest of his life with the burden of what he did and to learn from his mistake. I see 0 problem with allowing him to be reinstated.

I would rarely say this, but Good Job Jerrah.
This guy needs the support and all the help he can get.
He has paid the price for his crimes, and he lives every day with the knowledge that he killed his best friend! I think that right there is punishment enough!
Thumbs up to Jerrah.
If Vick, Stallworth and Leonard Little can come back, so can Josh Brent!

Does it really seem right to reward someone who had done wrong just because they are an athlete? Shouldn’t this guy be speaking to young kids about the mistake he made by drinking and driving, then being glorified by Jerry? Who determined he paid the price for his crime, the guy that died?

Let’s not forget, Brent was convicted of DUI in 2009 and got 60 days in jail and two years probation so this wasn’t the first time he’d been caught. The unfortunate thing was this time it killed someone. He was also going at least 110mph and possibly 134mph when the crash occurred. Then, while he was awaiting trial he failed at least two drug tests as well as tampering with the monitoring devices which were required to ensure he didn’t imbibe alcohol or use illegal substances.

So tell me again…how many chances will this guy get? He clearly doesn’t get it and feels like he can do whatever he wants. Sadly, it’s only a matter of time before he does this again only next time maybe it will be an innocent family that gets killed by this chucklehead.

That being said, he has served his punishment and everyone has a right to another chance but he should be on a short leash and if I were a team I’d require him to take a drug test every week and also require some sort of monitoring for alcohol. This is more than about football at this point…it’s about life and if he doesn’t care about his life then something should be done to make sure he doesn’t kill someone else. I’d also tell him that this is his LAST CHANCE….and ANY positive test he’s gone. I doubt if any other team, except maybe the Ravens, would take him. He’s not really that great of a player anyway and probably not even worth the trouble.